TD does not authorize employment. Review the actual editorial activity and location rather than assuming an unpaid or family label resolves the work issue.
Separate the spouse’s activity from the TN assignment
TD may cover an eligible spouse or unmarried child under 21 and permits study, but the principal’s authorization does not extend to a spouse’s ongoing project services. A foreign payment arrangement is not itself U.S. work permission. Assess any separate proposed classification on its actual conditions.
If the letter names an initial period with possible extension, treat leases, school enrolment, and a spouse's resignation as decisions tied to that period rather than to a hoped-for renewal. Steps differ by nationality, since Mexican citizens generally require a visa and Canadian citizens generally do not, so confirm what each dependent needs instead of assuming the principal's route applies to everyone. Whether remote work performed in the United States for a foreign employer is treated as U.S. employment is not answered by a simple rule, so it needs advice and a check of current official guidance before anyone relies on it.